Three groups in particular continue to be impacted by 928 large-scale nuclear weapons detonations from 1951-1992 at the Nevada Test Site: Native Americans, Mormons and ranchers. Downwind exposes an infamous, harrowing chapter of US history and the ongoing health consequences for downwinder communities including the marginalized Western Shoshone whose sacred land - by treaty - is still restricted with the resumption of nuclear testing "under debate."
Narrated by Martin Sheen, Downwind features Oscar-winner Michael Douglas, comedian Lewis Black and prominent Downwinders whose heartbreaking stories have inspired remarkable perseverance. Filmed from the red-earth canyons near St. George, Utah to New York City, Downwind captures the astonishing rise of American patriot-activists whose hope is to expose government breach of trust, to stop future nuclear weapons testing and to mobilize Congress to expand the underfunded Radiation Exposure Compensation Act which will sunset in June 2024.
"4 1/2 stars out of 5"
EYE FOR FILM
"A gripping documentary."
PUNCH DRUNK CRITICS
"A good film for those of us who appreciate informative and impactful documentary filmmaking."
HYE'S MUSINGS
"I applaud the filmmakers for putting this essential story out... tell everyone you know about Downwind."
FILM THREAT
"An important record. A cautionary tale about how a government can fail to protect its own people."
WEEKEND NOTES
"It’s great to hear from people who were directly impacted, not simply experts."
PUNCH DRUNK CRITICS
"Brilliant... poignant... a cinematic endeavor that peers beyond the patriotic facade to reveal an age-old, ongoing crisis."
PUNCH DRUNK CRITICS
"What’s impressive about Downwind is the way that it supports its case with evidence, largely taken from the US military’s own files."
EYE FOR FILM
"The directors Mark Shapiro and Douglas Brian Miller put together a very interesting, thought provoking, and at times frustrating look at the impact nuclear testing has had and continues to have on US citizens."
HYE'S MUSINGS
"Does not shy in showing the destructive capabilities of these nuclear devices... an incredibly powerful documentary, which sadly has a lot more relevance to the current political climate than we’d like to admit."
FILM INK
"Shines a piercing light on a hidden chapter of American history. It’s an imperative cinematic experience that stirs a resounding plea for collective awareness, urging us to confront the shadows of the past and unite in shaping a future free from the haunting specter of nuclear experimentation."
PUNCH DRUNK CRITICS
"While Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer commands attention in theaters, Downwind stands as an essential documentary that transcends the allure of Hollywood glitz and glamour regarding American heritage."
PUNCH DRUNK CRITICS
"Masterfully uncovers a somber and notorious chapter of US history."
PUNCH DRUNK CRITICS
"There’s such a huge story here that it’s astonishing that it hasn’t been put on film before."
EYE FOR FILM
**** [Four Stars]
PUNCH DRUNK CRITICS